Carpet-stretcher



(Nomodel.) l

A. W. MUHLHAUSER.

CARPET STRETGHER.

PatentedlVIay 14, 1889.

@Uv/Line aoco,

vUNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST V. ll/IIILHAUSER, OF PLATTEVILLE, VISGONSIN.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,126, dated May 14, 1889. Application iiled May 8, 1888. Serial No. 273,214. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST WV. MHL- HAUsER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Platteville, in the county of Grant and State of Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers, of which the following` is a specication.

The invention relates to improvements in carpet-stretchers; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective View of a carpet-stretcher embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main bar, showing the ratchetactuating lever in place.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the main bar of the machine, having the bracket B secured to the end, which is practically the outer end, and b is a pin standing downward and inward from the outer end of said bracket. The said pin has an upward extension, b', to receive the blows of a hammer when it is necessary to drive the pin b into the floor.

Secured about centrally to the upper side of the main bar is the bearing-bracket C, provided with a central vertical slot and the upstanding perforated bearing-ears c on each side thereof., The said slot registers with a similar vertical slot, c', in the main bar.

D is a lever with its lower portion standing in the opening formed by said slots and provided with a longitudinal slot, d, through which and the perforations in the ears c passes the pivotal pin d. The said lever has its lower end, cl2, which projects below the main bar, beveled downward and outward or toward the pin b, and its upper portion formed with a handle, d3.

E is a spring-detent secured to the under surface of the main bar at a proper point, and having at its free end, which projects toward the pin b, a transverse detent-arm, e, which engages the teeth of the ratchet-bar, to be presently referred to, and projects to one side thereof, so as to form a handle, by which it can be released from the said teeth to permit the device to be adjusted into position for stretching the carpet.

F is a longitudinal ratchet.- bar provided with the rearwardly or inwardly inclined teeth f, and having secured to its ends the central portion of the front and rear cross-bars, G H, respectively. The bar G has secured to its lower side the equidistant teeth g, preferably of wire with pointed ends, which teeth extend downward and outward, and the bar H is similarly provided with similar teeth, h.

I is a bearing-bracket secured centrally to the upper side of the cross-bar H, and straddling the main beam.

The manner of using the device is as follows: The pin b is driven, by the means described, into the floor adjoining the wall, with the main beam at right angles to the latter. The teeth g are then engaged in the carpet a short distance from the edge, the carpet stretched inward from the said teeth, and engaged by the teeth h. The ratchet-bar is then moved toward the wall by means of the lever D, the beveled point cl2 of which en gages the teeth j' of said bar, the slot d permitting said point to be drawn inward over said teeth. When the edge of the carpet has been thus stretched up to the wall, the tacks can be driven into the narrow portion of it outside the cross-bar G. The bracket I, besides keeping the ratchet-bar and cross-bars in position, prevents the main beam from rising from the ratchet-bar.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the main bar, the rack-bar arranged below the same and having the rack-teeth on its upper side, the lever fulcrumed on the main bar and having its lower end passing therethrough and engaging the rack-bar, the cross-bars secured to the ends of the rack-bar, the bracket I, secured to the rear cross-bar and passing over the main bar, and the spring, having one end secured to the under side of the main bar and its other end projecting downward therefrom, and having a transverse arm engaging the rack-bar and projecting laterally beyond the same, substantially as specified.

2. The herein described carpet-stretcher, comprising the main bar A, the pin b on the bracket B, secured to the outer end of the said bar, the slotted bracket C, secured to the main bar, with its slot registering with the slot therein and provided with the bearing-ears c,

IOO

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 1o my own I have hereto Lfixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST XV. MIL'TIIL'IAUSER.

XVitiieSsos:

ARCHiBALD W. BELL, THOMAS A. MURPHEY. 

